Sr. VFX Artist

Job Description

Why Raven?

Here at Raven, we pride ourselves on our unique vision for the industry that continues to inspire us after more than 30 years. We developed a team that cares about one another, our games, and our players. We treat each other with respect. We bring no egos. We focus on what is best for the game. We hire stunning peers. We own our mistakes. As we enter the next exciting chapter of our story, we are looking for people to grow with us. If you want to work with a world-class team, on exciting new projects, then apply today! We look forward to hearing from you.

Your Mission

Your mission is to develop compelling visual effects that enhance gameplay and cinematic experiences for the blockbuster Call of Duty franchise. You are a self-sufficient, 'fire-and-forget' teammate who owns VFX development tasks, proactively and independently solves challenges, and delivers high quality work in a timely manner. You also have an agile and flexible mindset, and excellent and persuasive communication skills, as you will actively partner with some of the most talented and passionate developers in the industry. Above all, we are looking for an innovative and dedicated teammate to help tell our story.

You Will…
• Work closely with the VFX Lead, Art Directors and others in bringing life to gameplay and cinematics through the addition of flair and visual drama.
• Craft compelling moments through the design, creation, and implementation of real-time particle effects using both static and animating 2D/3D elements.
• Prototype VFX and materials which effectively develop tone and pacing of gameplay events.
• Spearhead VFX R&D efforts, create Houdini tools, champion best practices, and advocate for streamlining tools and processes.
• Research subject matter relating to objectives to ensure an authentic, accurate experience.
• Be a proactive self-starter that can independently execute high-level direction.
• Be a trusted gatekeeper for performance, efficiency, and quality.
• Inspire and mentor others as a role model of initiative, accountability, and attitude.
• Encourage others to thrive on open and welcome constructive criticism.
• Contribute creative and original ideas towards all aspects of game production and development.

You Bring…

Minimum Requirements:
• 5+ total years of Visual Effects experience in the games industry or equivalent experience in film/television.
• Passionate and egoless attitude that welcomes feedback and criticism, and enjoys working in a collaborative, iterative, and agile process.
• Ability to quickly learn new software and adapt to proprietary software.
• Relevant 2D and 3D software experience - Photoshop, After Effects, Maya, Max, Houdini, Substance Designer.
• Ability to lead by example.
• Impressive communication and strong problem-solving skills.
• Proven ability to thrive in a challenging and often ambiguous environment.
• Strong understanding of game VFX with ability to clearly discuss modern trends.
• Inspiring reel demonstrating focus and commitment to realistic visual effects and process.

Extra Points:
• Experience in a secondary area such as texturing, modeling, scripting, animation, or lighting.
• Understanding of real-time physics system.
• Passion for the Call of Duty franchise.
• Strong traditional art foundation.
• Experience creating VFX shaders.
• Experience and comfort in Unreal and/or PopcornFX.
• History of playing a variety of game genres both digital and physical.

About Raven

Founded in 1990, Raven Software is the developer of numerous award-winning games including Hexen, Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast, Marvel: Ultimate Alliance and most recently, a major contributor to the blockbuster Call of Duty® franchise. We are based in Middleton, Wisconsin, a suburb of Madison, annually ranked on numerous lists as one of the top places to live and work.

We each bring a unique set of experiences from dozens of cultural backgrounds.
Our shared values unify our direction and decisions, helping us touch the lives of more than a billion people each day.

About Activision

Activision Blizzard, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI), is one of the world's largest and most successful interactive entertainment companies and is at the intersection of media, technology and entertainment. We are home to some of the most beloved entertainment franchises including Call of Duty®, World of Warcraft®, Overwatch®, Diablo®, Candy Crush™ and Bubble Witch™. Our combined entertainment network delights hundreds of millions of monthly active users in 196 countries, making us the largest gaming network on the planet!
Our ability to build immersive and innovate worlds is only enhanced by diverse teams working in an inclusive environment. We aspire to have a culture where everyone can thrive in order to connect and engage the world through epic entertainment. We provide a suite of benefits that promote physical, emotional and financial well-being for 'Every World' - we've got our employees covered!

Jobcode: Reference SBJ-gm9zk2-3-142-135-86-42 in your application.